An investigation into the use of sand media planted with Thypa latifolia in constructed wetland ecotechnology in removing organic matter, suspended solids and nutrients from domestic wastewater

Deterioration of water quality continues to be a major concern in West Timor. Establishment of wastewater treatment is crucial for eliminating this problem. Constructed wetland (CW) ecotechnologies are an alternative low-cost wastewater treatment to solve wastewater problems in West Timor. This research aimed to compare the effectiveness of Thypa latifolia in CWs for the removal of BOD₅, suspended solids, NH₄-N, and PO₄-P. The experimental design consisted of 6 (20 L) vertical flow mesocosms, 3 mesocosms planted with Thypa latifolia and 3 mesocosms as a control. The mesocosms were irrigated with synthetic wastewater for 7 months. The inflow had a 2-day hydraulic retention time. The inflow and outflow samples were monitored for BOD₅, suspended solids, NH₄-N, and PO₄-P. The trend showed that the CWs planted with Thypa latifolia reduced significantly the BOD, suspended solids, and NH₄-N. However, the presence of plant did not significantly reduce PO₄-P. This indicated that the CWs planted with Thypa latifolia had a better performance in comparison with pure sand media.